External Legal Services
The All-of-Government External Legal Services (ELS) panel contracts have been let by the New Zealand Ministry of Economic Development on behalf of government agencies. Agencies across the Public sector can access a panel of 38 providers plus Crown Law.
Scope: All External Legal Services, excluding:
- Barristers Sole and Queen’s Counsel
- Catergory 1 legal services and Crown Solicitor to work at Crown Solicitor rates
- Patent Attorneys
- Overseas firms
Contract term: 2+2+2 years
Number of Providers: 38 + Crown Law
Here are some brief highlights of the contract:
- We have negotiated hourly rates that have resulted in savings of 18% to government agencies
- Agencies can instruct legal work in any area of law to any of the panel providers (the providers are promoted in certain areas of law but can provide work in all areas of law)
- There is flexibility to use a non-panel provider when the panel is not meeting your needs
- The only reporting requirements upon an agency are to:
Complete an online survey every quarter about a provider you instructed during that quarter, answering 6 simple questions that will take 2 to 4 minutes.
Complete a spread sheet, on an annual basis, that records all spend you had with non-panel providers.
- Crown Law remains a provider of legal services to the wider state sector and sits alongside the panel.
The providers
Banking and Finance
| Corporate and Commercial |
Employment | Environmental and Resource Management |
Litigation | Property |
Public | |
Reporting that is available
Participating Agencies recieve a quarterly report setting out information about their agency's legal spend, and about government legal spend in general.
Download a copy of the ELS Example Quarterly Report [879 kB PDF], which contains pretend data, so see what information a Participating Agency could recieve.
The Buyers' guide
This guide provides agencies with an overview of:
- Key benefits of buying off this contract
- How agencies will transition to the contract
- What you can buy off the contract, and how
- Roles and responsibilities: buyers, providers and the Centre of Expertise.
Download a copy of the External Legal Services Buyers' Guide [858 kB PDF]
The Legal Services Order
The Legal Services Order is used by agencies to brief legal work out to providers. More information concerning the Legal Services Order can be found in the buyers’ guide.
Download a copy of the Legal Services Order [191kB DOC].
